7/23/2021
8 SAR The Lake George (GIII)
$150.000 3yoF 1m InTurf 122lbs +penalties
The sophomore ladies will be headed to the Spa sod for The Lake George (GIII), a flat mile stakes on the inner turf course and we have an evenly matched group of seven set to go post-ward. I took Peppermint Crush as my top selection today. She has two wins from her last three starts which earns her a two pound penalty, but I think she has enough talent to overcome that and get home on top here. I’ll go to the rail and put Rosehunt in the second spot, and if she can run back to that KEE victory back in March, she will be a tough cookie. That was at a flat mile and I think she loves the distance. I’ll also give Thats Your Opinion a chance here, fresh off of her maiden win and I don’t think they entered her here just to get in the race… this barn is sharp and I think she can run.
Here’s The Field –
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Rosehunt | Arindel | Gaffalione T | 122 | 4/1 |
Looked good winning the Appalachian (GII) at KEE back in the spring, followed that up with a near miss in the Edgewood (GII) at CD but was up the track on PRK weekend when last of seven in the Dixie (GII). Let’s chalk that up to a bounce and look for her to come back into the fold here today.
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Summers Day | First Street Stables | Alvarado J | 122 | 4/1 |
Nice win last out taking the Martha Washington at GP after a pair of second place finishes, both vs. stakes company. She’s been first or second in five of six races, so she certainly is a runner and I’d look for another big effort vs. this group. Give her a big look.
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Brooklyn Bride | Big Jd Racing | Davis D | 122 | 6/1 |
Got back into the winner’s circle taking a OptAlw race at WO, showing her normal speed and got home in pretty quick time vs. that group. She has mixed results vs. graded horses of late, running ninth in the FG Oaks (GII) but was only a long neck back when third in the Soaring Softly (GIII) at BEL. Who do we get today?
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Peppermint Crush | Allinthegate | Velazquez J R | 124 | 5/2 |
Looked good taking two of her last three, the wins coming against graded horses, so she gets two extra pounds for this one. Won the Sweet Life (GIII) at SA and took the fore-mentioned Soaring Softly (GIII) at BEL, so this is certainly a place where she fits well and may very well be the horse to get past.
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Into The Darkness | Rampage Stable | Rosario J | 122 | 6/1 |
Broke maiden at SA and took an overnight stakes at GP, then was fifth and fourth vs graded horses, so she needs to turn it up a notch to be a serious contender with these. Still, she’s been first or second in five of eight starts, so you certainly can’t look away from her.
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Thats Your Opinion | Mb Stables | Lezcano J | 122 | 7/1 |
Broke maiden in her fourth try for the big outfit, and ran off to win by two on a soggy turf course at CD in that win. She’s been working sharply, and this barn certainly knows how to place a horse, so give her a look and she may be decent odds, as well.
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Concoction | John Henry | Cancel E | 122 | 9/1 |
Her graded efforts have resulted in seventh, ninth and eighth place finishes, although she did get the job done vs overnight stakes horses at FG back in the early spring. She seems to do her best work on the front end, as she broke maiden and won that FG stakes in wire-to-wire fashion.
COZMAN 4 / 1 / 6 Willie’s Green Card 3 / 2
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
